The Man Who Knew Infinity Page #2

I don't know how to get this

into your thick skull,

but whatever it is you're talking about,

I'm simply not involved.

Play.

Sir.

You've missed Hall.

Not hungry.

(SIGHS)

I tell you,

there is a war coming, no doubt about it.

Because we are being

led like mindless, spineless sheep

and no one bothers to question any of it.

It's coming, all right. You can smell it.

You're as paranoid as Hardy.

(SCOFFS) With all due respect, Bertie,

you couldn't hold a candle.

Littlewood, could I have a word?

Yes, of course.

LITTLEWOOD:
Integrals.

Infinite series.

God knows what else.

Oh, excuse me.

I always forget

you don't believe in a supreme being.

Right.

If this chap turns out to be genuine, you

might have to reconsider.

He must be genuine.

Who would have

the imagination to invent all that?

Well, I'm rather

flattered you thought I did.

(LAUGHS)

These two infinite series

are the more intriguing.

Yeah. They defeated me completely.

I've never seen anything like them.

Well, it's deceptive.

I'll wager the hypergeometric series.

Ha! Our great Littlewood, stumped.

He's Hobbs class, I'd say.

"Being inexperienced,

"I would very

highly value any advice you give me.

"Yours truly, S. Ramanujan."

What does the "S" stand for?

You can ask him yourself.

You intend to invite him here?

Well, no, no, no, no, no.

Much better, let him

rot away in his office in Madras, hmm?

- Hmm?

- Ah, Mr. Ramanujan.

There seems to be a letter for you.

Postmarked England. Cambridge, England.

From a Mr. G. H. Hardy.

I used to come here

and watch the boats leaving.

I always wondered what it would be

like to be on one of them.

I'm finally here

and you talk of crossing the sea?

It is forbidden for us.

I don't understand.

If you go, it will never be the same.

This is not Calcutta or Bombay.

No one will marry our

children. No one will even talk to us!

Then we will move to Calcutta or Bombay.

Besides,

I don't want to talk to anyone but you.

Do you promise to bring me

as soon as you are able?

Yes.

Then that is what we will do.

JANAKI:
Are you sure you want me to do it?

Cut it.

(PRAYS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)

(MOTHER PRAYING SOFTLY IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)

(SIGHS)

You cut your hair.

What have you done?

Amma, I've decided to go to England.

Did you?

Or did she convince you?

So that both of you could

run away together? Huh?

This is all her doing.

She wants you all to herself.

(MUTTERS SOFTLY)

(LIVELY CHATTER OF CHILDREN)

(SHIP HORN BLARES)

Please look after

each other while I'm gone.

Never forget your prayers.

You cannot

pollute yourself with their food,

if you ever want to come back.

Don't forget me.

I could never.

I promise.

(SOBBING)

Well, off we go.

6,000 miles. Can you imagine?

I've known larger numbers.

Don't let it ruin

your big day with Gunga Din.

I'm sure it won't mean war.

(SCOFFS) All this Din, Din, Din.

Are you Ramanujan, by chance?

- Very much by chance.

- Ah.

- Hello. Sorry.

- Oh. (CHUCKLES)

John Littlewood. Such a pleasure.

I was just on my way to meet you.

Well, shall we go together?

Yes.

The intended effect.

Don't be intimidated.

Great knowledge often comes

from the humblest of origins.

Come along.

You see that sapling?

That's the very tree

under which Newton sat,

when the apple dropped on his

head and he invented gravity.

(CHUCKLES)

This way. We've been

anticipating your arrival for some time.

MAN:
Well, I think it's criminal.

I mean, we bring these Indians over at

great expense and look what happens.

Yeah, well, it's not just

that this chap is Ramjin,

whatever his name is, is Indian.

After all, we do have

Indian students here.

Just not ones

with no education to speak of.

It's a disgrace.

Ramanujan is a special case.

Uh, why is that, exactly?

We've all read his letter.

There are no proofs.

Are we just supposed

to take him at his word?

No.

You're to take him at mine.

Change, gentlemen.

It's a wonderful thing. Embrace it.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

Take it as

a sign of respect to quieten this lot.

Is Mr. Hardy here?

I'm most excited to meet him.

He must be a very kind man

to bring me all this way.

Mmm.

Ah. Speak of the devil.

Hello.

I'm Hardy.

Welcome to Trinity, Mr. Ramanujan.

Am I pronouncing that properly?

Yes, sir.

Perfectly.

It's an honor, sir.

Thank you.

I very much look forward

to beginning our work.

So, tomorrow, 10:00, my rooms.

I look forward to it.

Did I say something wrong?

Don't worry.

I'll look out for you.

That's if you believe he actually exists.

You see, there's

speculation that Mr. Littlewood here

is merely a figment

of Hardy's imagination.

If he ever makes a mistake, he'll

have someone else to blame.

Ramanujan, Bertrand Russell.

Welcome to our little asylum.

Hello.

Come along, come along.

(BELL TOLLING IN DISTANCE)

(BLOWING)

MAN:
Get off the grass!

It's for Fellows only!

Excuse me, sir.

Could you direct me to New Court?

- To Mr. Hardy?

- Through there.

You have something on your forehead.

Oh. Thank you.

The shoes, they hurt my feet.

(CLEARS THROAT)

LITTLEWOOD:
Sorry I'm late.

You see, you do exist.

Yes.

Right.

Ramanujan, we've decided that

for the good of everybody

you should attend some lectures.

But I'm here to publish.

Yes. All in good time, I hope.

But first we need proofs of your work.

It's really nothing to worry about.

It's simply a question of acquainting you

with the more formal methods

that will benefit our future work together.

I mean, we need a common language.

You wouldn't expect us to converse with

you in Tamil. (SNIGGERS)

No. But you expect me to speak English.

Quite.

So, there will be

plenty of time for publishing.

I'm sorry, but with all

humility, how does anyone know that?

I don't want this to die with me.

(LAUGHS) I assure you it won't.

Thank you, sir.

But I have much more to share with you.

As I told you,

the letter only contained

a small sampling of my discoveries.

You'll see I have even found a function

which exactly represents the number

of prime numbers less than X

in the form of an infinite series.

- Exactly?

- Yes.

I thought if we were going to publish, it

should be something, uh, ground-breaking.

This is

most unexpected.

(CHUCKLES)

Hardy. (STUTTERING)

This will take a lifetime.

Maybe two.

(CHATTER AND LAUGHTER OUTSIDE)

(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

It's quite alarming to see you so

thoroughly pleased with yourself.

Can't have anything to do

with these notebooks, can it?

(CHUCKLES)

You could spend the rest of your

life trying to prove half of it

and never have

another original idea of your own.

Bertie.

If I could prove, by logic,

that you are gonna die in five minutes,

I'd be sorry,

but my sorrow would be very much mitigated

by the pleasure in the proof.

Might get your wish granted with half

the Continent up in flames

and old men like that running the show.

(HARDY GRUNTS) No.

No, you're just a bit sore because

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